Chapter 22: The Ending of a Certain Derby

"Here comes Tokai Teio—Tokai Teio breaks away! She’s picking up the pace and closing the gap on Hoshino Wilm! Are the three frontrunning Uma Musume finished here?!"

"Is Tokai Teio really challenging Hoshino Wilm—famous for her incredible stamina—to a long-sprint showdown?! What will this bold decision lead to?!"

In the darkened trainer’s room, I stare at the monitor.
Playing on the screen is footage from the recent Satsuki Sho—specifically, the segments focused on Teio-chan.

"This part… yeah. Just like I thought—right here."

The moment I hit the downhill.
That’s when Teio-chan increases her pace.

This instant.
The instant her legs stretch wide and slam into the ground.

This is where her long sprint begins.

But what matters isn’t the distance or the timing. It’s her running form.

I studied Uma Musume running mechanics using the textbooks stacked over there.
You bend the knee, drop the foot, and plant it on the ground.
You kick backward to gain forward propulsion.
You pull the extended leg that’s flowed behind you back in, bend it, and drop it to the ground again.
By alternating this motion with both legs, you maintain balance while driving yourself forward, step by step.

…In other words, it’s almost the same as a human’s. The only real difference is the sheer speed.

But Teio-chan’s sprinting form is just a little different from normal.

Her leg turnover is so fast that at first glance it doesn’t seem strange at all.
…but no. It’s still off.

Her incredible ankle and knee spring alone shouldn’t be enough to explain why I can’t even come close to her.
There’s something more. There has to be—absolutely.

I keep watching. Again and again.
And finally… I start to understand.

The defining feature of her running form is her stride—its sheer length.

And that stride isn’t created by bending the knee and dropping the foot.
It’s created by extending the leg sharply forward in a single motion.

Even so, that alone wouldn’t be abnormal.
With a stride-based form, it’s not unheard of to let the forward-planted leg swing back with momentum and then kick off again.

But she… she looks like she’s kicking the ground far ahead, with her leg still half-extended.

"...She should be slowing down."

It’s easy to see if you picture it.
Normally, you can’t kick backward while keeping your leg stretched forward.

To propel yourself forward, you have to transmit your leg strength backward into the ground.
But if your leg is extended forward—angled diagonally ahead from your hips—then that force should inevitably be directed forward instead.

What’s more, with the knee not bent, you shouldn’t even be able to make use of your ankle’s spring.
You shouldn’t be able to generate more power than a standard form.

That’s simply the structural limit of the body.
No matter how stride-focused your form is, you shouldn’t be able to increase your step length beyond that point.

…Or so it should be.

And yet—

"Tokai Teio is fast! She’s rapidly closing the gap on Hoshino Wilm, once thought unbeatable! Is this the true form of the Emperor who has appeared in the Classics?!"

No matter how many times I watch it, she’s kicking from the front.
And as a result, she’s displaying a sprint with an absurd stride length—something that defies common sense.

…How can she do that? Why doesn’t she decelerate?

I rewind the footage again, back to just before Teio-chan starts her sprint.
Up to this point, her running form is completely normal.

But the instant she accelerates…

It transforms into something that could only be called a massive-stride form—an extreme version of stride running, where she extends her legs and drives them into the ground.

How is she generating more propulsion than a "normal" running form like that?
With my knowledge from my previous life, I should be able to figure it out…

Look.
Think.
Connect the dots.
Find the answer.

Move forward.
Kick backward.
Launch at the correct angle.
Transfer the force from the legs efficiently into the ground…

Transfer?
Flow… bend… redirect?
Guide it—or… control it?

…Wait.

I freeze the footage and zoom in on Teio-chan’s feet.

Ah… now I finally get it.

"Her tarsal joint."

The tarsal joint—a term unique to Uma Musume anatomy.
In simple human terms, it’s the ankle.

In the paused frame, I stare at Teio-chan’s ankle.
That’s where her secret lies.

As I thought, her leg flexibility is unbelievable.
The top of her shoe—her instep—is sinking into the turf at an angle that goes beyond her shin.

This… this right here is the core of her ability.

"...That’s practically acrobatics."

She forcibly twists the vector of her leg strength—which should normally run parallel to the leg and translate into backward propulsion—backward at the ankle, transmitting it into the ground through the very tip of her foot.

In other words—

She’s forcing the spring function that should be shared between the knee and the ankle entirely onto the ankle alone.
And with every single step, she uses that joint’s flexibility to divert and absorb all of her leg power through the ankle.

I can’t help but grimace.

What kind of insane running style is this Uma Musume using?

Of course she’s fast—her stride is something like twenty percent longer than normal.
On top of that, her ankles are so flexible that even on their own, they transmit more power into the ground than an average Uma Musume’s.

…But it’s a running style that puts a fatal amount of strain on the legs.

It sounds harsh to put it this way, but of course she gets injured.

With every single step, it’s like she’s loading all of the leg power she uses to kick off the ground straight into her ankle.
While sprinting with that massive stride, Teio-chan is placing an enormous burden on her own legs every time she runs.

In my previous life, I used to think, "Maybe Teio-chan just has fragile bones."
That they break because they’re weak.

But that wasn’t the reality.

Her bones are strong—if anything, exceptionally so.
It’s just that her body can’t keep up with her running… with her talent.

Because I’m an Uma Musume too, I can understand it.
The genius of that body, and its sturdiness.
She excels tremendously in both.

The fact that she’s been able to perform that massive-stride running without a serious accident until now is proof enough.

And yet—even so.

Her genius edges out her durability, just slightly.

No matter how sturdy an Uma Musume’s body may be, it can’t fully withstand a stride-based running style born from such extraordinary flexibility.
No matter how tough the body is, it will eventually be destroyed by it.

…Perhaps even natural-born talent can become a curse if it goes too far.

A sprint that produces explosive speed at the cost of shortening one’s career, huh…
Of course, without flexibility on her level, no one could even attempt to imitate it.

"…If it were me, then maybe—"

I murmured those words in a voice so quiet no one else could hear.

Click—the room lights turn on.

"Hoshino Wilm. That research session is over."

"Trainer."

The one who entered the room and turned on the lights was Horino Trainer—the trainer in charge of me.
It sounded like he’d been called to the student council room earlier, but he’d finally come back.

I start to stand up to greet him, but he stops me with a raised hand.

"Stay where you are. Either way, today was nothing but studying.
So—after watching the Satsuki Sho footage, did you get anything out of it?"

"Well…"

Something, yes—I did get something… but it’s probably not something I should say out loud.
It’s just a hunch, after all, and not something that can be reproduced immediately.

…Ah, but there was something else I wanted to tell him.

"I was watching Teio-chan’s running form, and…
That stride-based style seems extremely damaging to her tarsal joint and her third tarsal bone.
…I hate to say this, but her legs might be… glass legs."

Sorry, Trainer. That’s about half a lie.

Teio-chan’s legs aren’t glass at all—I think they’re closer to steel.
It’s just that her running style is completely insane.
Even steel will bend if an Uma Musume puts her full strength into it.

And then… at the Japan Derby, it finally snaps.

But there’s no way he’d understand if I said it that bluntly.
So I chose my words carefully when I told him—and in response…

The trainer looked genuinely shocked.

"…I’m impressed. So you noticed."

"When you say noticed… did you already know too, Trainer?"

"Yeah.
…Tokai Teio’s legs probably won’t hold out until the Kikuka Sho.
If things continue like this, around the Derby… she might get injured."

"—!"

As expected, this man really is incredible.

He understands everything—the danger in Teio-chan’s running style, the limits of her leg durability.
But if that’s the case… isn’t there something that can be done?

Even if it’s selfish.
Even if it’s pity from a position of superiority…
If it means Teio-chan can keep running without losing her shine, then nothing else matters.

"Isn’t there some way you could help her?"

"…That would be difficult.
First of all, the information I gain from my own observations lacks objective, logical proof that I can present to others.
There’s nothing solid enough to overturn the judgment of a veteran trainer."

Ah… yeah. That makes sense.

The trainer’s observational eye is extremely accurate.
I can’t remember a single time he’s ever taught me something wrong.

But the basis for it all… in the end, it’s subjective.
Without an established relationship of trust, people probably wouldn’t believe him.

"Second, the relationship between an Uma Musume and her trainer is unique—absolute, and inviolable.
…Hoshino Wilm. What would you do if someone—say, another trainer—suddenly objected to my training policy?"

"I’d punch them."

"Huh?"

"I’d punch them."

…No, seriously. I would.

There’s no way my trainer would make the wrong call.
He has a unique ability, constantly strives to acquire new knowledge, and always puts my well-being first.

There’s no way he’d be mistaken.

And if he were ever wrong, then it would be a problem no one else could give the right answer to either.
If that day ever comes, I’m prepared to stand by his judgment to the very end.

That’s what it means—to have given my life back then.

If it’s him, I wouldn’t regret it even if I were deceived.
That’s why I trust him.

Horino Trainer is the one and only person I can place absolute trust in.

And someone wants to challenge his judgment?
Some nobody who doesn’t even know me wants to deny him?

Screw that.

That judgment is the conclusion drawn from the life he’s lived.
It’s the crystallization of the relationship we’ve built together.

You want to deny that?

Yeah. I’d punch them.
Don’t underestimate us, damn it.

"…Well, let’s refrain from punching people. Honestly, I’d be happy enough if you just got a little angry for my sake.

Anyway, back to the topic.
That’s the kind of relationship a trainer and an Uma Musume have. It’s not something outsiders should interfere with.
The most I can do is inform their trainer about the risks of that running style."

"…I see."

It clicks neatly into place.

Yeah—I wouldn’t want a third party barging into my relationship with my trainer either.
If some intruder told me, "Your running style is dangerous, you should stop," then… yeah, things would definitely get ugly.

Worst case, I’d be the one getting punched.
And I really don’t like pain.

"And finally, one more thing.

To begin with, that running style itself is Tokai Teio’s greatest strength.
For her to give it up would mean throwing away her most powerful weapon.
…And there’s a real chance that Tokai Teio herself wouldn’t want that."

Is that… just how it is?

Honestly, from my perspective, being able to run without getting injured sounds far better.
Maybe that’s complacency—or carelessness—born from the fact that I can still win.

"That’s why there’s only so much we can do for that camp.
…Well, leave that side of things to me. I’ll do what I can.
So you focus on the Derby right in front of you."

"Understood."

I’m still worried about Teio-chan’s injury…
But if he says so… yeah, I’ll rely on him.

Trainer, I’m leaving Teio-chan in your hands.
…While you’re at it, I’ll also leave the setup for that practice race with Nature to you.

＊　＊　＊

Once the conversation ends, the trainer turns off the monitor and slides it to the edge of the desk.
Then he pulls a huge sheet of paper and a thick stack of documents from a drawer and lays them out in front of me.

"Alright. After the Satsuki Sho comes next month’s Derby. Let’s start analyzing it."

The large sheet spread across the desk… this is an overhead map of Tokyo Racecourse, isn’t it?
And beneath that—elevation data.

There’s an insane amount of detail written all over it.
The trainer really is meticulous about this kind of thing…

"First, I’ll give you a brief overview of the Tokyo Racecourse turf 2400-meter course.
If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask as we go."

According to the trainer—

The course starts with a short uphill stretch of about forty meters.
After that comes a four-hundred-meter straight, followed by a roughly five-hundred-meter corner.

Once you exit that corner, there’s another straight of about four hundred meters, which transitions partway into a short uphill.
After cresting that hill, the course turns downhill for a while, flowing straight into another corner.

And once you clear the final corner, there’s immediately an uphill section and a final straight of just over five hundred meters.
Even after the uphill ends, there’s still more than three hundred meters of straight remaining.

That is the Tokyo Racecourse turf 2400-meter course.

…Yeah, it’s hard to grasp just from words alone.
Having the trainer explain it with diagrams helps, but I feel like I won’t really understand it intuitively unless I actually run it myself.

"Now then, Hoshino Wilm. Do you understand why this race is said to be unfavorable for frontrunners?"

"…Um, I think there are several reasons."

"Mhm. Say whatever comes to mind."

Alright… why it’s bad for frontrunners.

First of all, starting with an uphill is a disadvantage.
A frontrunning Uma Musume needs to surge early and open up distance from the pack.
But on this course, accelerating uphill is difficult, stamina gets drained, and there’s also the risk of getting swallowed by the group or affected by it.

That alone is already a serious disadvantage.

Next… there are too many ups and downs.
Your attention gets pulled toward adjusting to the constantly changing terrain, and that alone makes you burn through stamina faster.

A frontrunner pushes hard from the start, so if they mismanage their stamina distribution for the later stages, it’s game over.

And stamina allocation is something you manage with your head—but thinking slows down when you’re tired.
In the latter half of the race, fatigue leads to misjudging the pace, which wastes stamina, which leads to even more fatigue—a vicious cycle.

That’s why stamina conservation is a matter of life and death for frontrunners.

And then—more than anything—the final straight is just too long.

At over five hundred meters, it’s one of the longest final straights among Twinkle Series racecourses.
On top of that, the first half is uphill.

A frontrunner who’s spent their stamina can’t avoid slowing down on the incline, and even after climbing it, there’s still three hundred meters left.

…A three-hundred-meter straight is about the same length as the final straight at Kyoto Racecourse, where the Kikuka Sho is held.
For an Uma Musume with a sharp finishing kick, that’s more than enough distance to run someone down.

"…Those are the main points that came to mind right away."

When I finish listing them, the trainer wears a rather hard-to-read expression.

Huh?
Did I miss something?

"Uh… was that wrong?"

"No, the opposite. That’s an excellent level of understanding. Yes—well done."

Hehe. He even patted my head.

…But is this really that praiseworthy?
It feels like all of this falls well within what you’d learn from studying courses and running styles.

Well, whatever.
It’s warm and feels nice, so I’ll just enjoy this happiness for now.

"…That makes sense. Not every runaway frontrunner is some kind of head-first battle tribe, after all. Good, good."

"Battle tribe…?"

"Ah, don’t worry about it. There there—good job, good job."

Whoa—hey, stop, that’s too much!

I haven’t even won a race yet—are you sure it’s okay to spoil me like this!?
D-do you want money? I could probably pay a little right now!

"Mhm. Your judgment is largely correct. You’ve properly grasped the important points.
Just as you said, the Derby course is extremely unfavorable for frontrunners.
Even Seiun Sky failed to take the Derby, after all."

"Sky-chan…"

"…I still don’t understand your standards for adding ‘-chan.’"

Seiun Sky-chan.

In my previous life, in the first season of the anime, she was the capable Uma Musume who stole both the Satsuki Sho and the Kikuka Sho from the protagonist, Special Week.
She hasn’t been racing much lately, but apparently she’s still active in the Twinkle Series.

According to Meek-senpai, she’s the strongest active frontrunner.
She must really be something—if the trainer refers to her as “that” Seiun Sky.

"…However, that’s not the only disadvantage in this race.
The Japan Derby is a very special kind of race."

"Is it?"

"…Yeah. Well, it makes sense you wouldn’t know. Of course you wouldn’t.

These days, its presence is gradually being overshadowed by races like the Arima Kinen, the Takarazuka Kinen, and the Japan Cup.
But originally, the Tokyo Yushun was the biggest race in Japan.

Even now, the dignity from those days still remains.
There’s even a saying: ‘The season begins with the Derby and ends with the Derby.’

That’s why an Uma Musume who wins the Derby is praised as a Derby Uma Musume,
and her trainer is honored as a Derby Trainer."

Huh… wow.
I really didn’t know that.

Well, no—I guess I technically do know. I feel like we covered it in school… probably.

Honestly, I’ve never been very interested in studying things that don’t directly affect winning races.
For exams, I always cram hard for two days right before, then settle neatly around the middle of the rankings. When it comes to tests, I’m a late-charging Uma Musume.

I’m endlessly grateful to Nature for lending me her notes every time. A one-and-only friend is the best!

"In a race as momentous as the Derby, continuing to run at the front while constantly sensing the presence of other Uma Musume is mentally exhausting.

In that sense as well, the Derby is considered unfavorable for frontrunners… but—"

"That doesn’t really apply to me. I’m not interested in the prestige of a race."

"Mm, true enough. If we limit the discussion to you, it’s fair to say the Derby’s disadvantages are cut in half.

The remaining issue is… your rivals."

As he says this, the trainer pulls out a stack of papers that had been set aside.

"This is a list of the Uma Musume expected to enter the Derby as of just before the Satsuki Sho.

It includes some who may not ultimately qualify, but I’ve compiled data on about thirty of them.

That said, this data relies entirely on my own observational eye, so I can’t guarantee it’s all perfectly accurate."

"…Thirty people?"

"Since nothing’s confirmed yet, yes.
Though realistically, nine times out of ten, it’ll be the girls on the first seventeen pages."

For now, I look at the top sheet.

Tokai Teio

Status
Top Speed: C 431
Stamina: D 348
Acceleration: D+ 364
Mental Strength: D 319
Tactical Sense: D+ 352

Specialties
Has an intuitive sense for racing.
Possesses genius-level leg flexibility.
Excellent at securing a good position and conserving strength.
Never misses the timing to break out of the pack.
Top-class straight-line acceleration technique.

Overall Assessment
Not an opponent to fear at present.
If Hoshino Wilm can perform at full strength, she will certainly win.
However, her growth potential is extremely high. Requires observation.

…Um. Uh. Is it… usually like this?

Wait—does the trainer’s observational eye really see people like game-style status screens?
Or did he derive all these precise numbers purely from his own intuition?

Either way, that’s amazing.

…No, seriously amazing! I’m mentally doing a double take!

His eye is incredibly accurate. Which means all this data—starting with Teio-chan and extending to every other Uma Musume here—must be extremely close to the truth.

If things are analyzed this perfectly as data, predicting the flow of future races would become dramatically easier.

…Come to think of it, wouldn’t other trainers sell their souls to get their hands on this stack of papers?
If you sold it, it’d probably fetch a ridiculous price.

N-no, of course I wouldn’t do that!
I’m absolutely not thinking things like “maybe this could cover three months of food expenses.” Definitely not.

"I’d heard that you can tell by looking at their hindquarters, but… can you really see numbers this detailed?"

"…More or less."

"Just from their legs, you can tell their mental strength and tactical sense too…?"

"………Yeah. Pretty much."

I-I see…

"So this is the power of a trainer…!"

"Oh, that explanation works for you?"

"Of course. I trust you completely, Trainer!"

"O-oh… sure…"

What are you saying? We’ve been together for over a year now.
We’re basically family at this point. Of course I trust you.

I lower my gaze back to the data in my hands.

"…Teio-chan really is strong, compared to the others."

"The other Uma Musume are mostly around E to E+ in each stat. Even in terms of skills—technique, that is—Tokai Teio stands a clear step above the rest."

"By the way… how do I rank?"

"You’re on the last sheet."

Let’s see… ah, you’re right. There it is.

Hoshino Wilm

Status
Top Speed: C+ 583
Stamina: A 877
Acceleration: C 413
Mental Strength: B+ 736
Tactical Sense: D 339

Specialties
Always approaches races with full commitment.
High aptitude for turf, long-distance, and frontrunning.
Exceptional starts.
Fast acceleration immediately after the start.
Excellent speed maintenance through corners and skillful breathing control.
Sharp finishing kick.
High understanding of runaway and frontrunning strategies.

Overall Assessment
An Uma Musume who will achieve an undefeated Triple Crown.
Extremely outstanding.

Whoa… isn’t my data a little too strong…?

I knew I was pretty strong, but seeing that the trainer evaluates me this highly makes the corners of my mouth twitch upward on their own.

“Extremely outstanding,” huh.
Hehe… that makes me really happy.

"…Yeah, well, of course you wouldn’t know. That makes sense.

These days, races like the Arima Kinen, the Takarazuka Kinen, and the Japan Cup are starting to overshadow it in terms of presence, but originally, the Tokyo Yushun was the biggest race in Japan.

Even now, some of that former prestige still remains. There’s even a saying: ‘It begins with the Derby and ends with the Derby.’

That’s precisely why a Uma Musume who wins the Derby is celebrated as a Derby Uma Musume, and her trainer is praised as a Derby Trainer."

Huh, really? I didn’t know that.

Well—no, I guess I do know. Or rather, I feel like we covered it at school… maybe.

Honestly, I’ve never been that interested in studying things that don’t directly affect race results.

Every time exams come around, I cram everything into the last two days and end up settling right around the middle of the rankings. When it comes to tests, I’m a late-charging Uma Musume.

I really can’t thank Nature enough for lending me her notes every time. My one-and-only best friend is the greatest.

"Continuing to run away while constantly sensing the presence of other Uma Musume in such a major race as the Derby puts a tremendous strain on the mind.

In that sense as well, the Derby is considered disadvantageous for front-runners… however—"

"It doesn’t concern me. I have no interest in the race’s prestige."

"Hmm, that would be the case. If we’re limiting this to you, it’s fair to say the Derby’s disadvantage is cut in half.

The remaining issue is… your rivals."

Saying that, my trainer pulled out a stack of papers he’d set aside nearby.

"This is a list of the Uma Musume expected to enter the Derby as of just before the Satsuki Sho.

It includes some who may not end up running for sure, but I’ve compiled data on about thirty of them.

This is all based on my own observations, so there’s no guarantee it’s perfectly accurate."

"…Thirty of them?"

"Since nothing’s been finalized yet, yes.

That said, there’s a very high chance that the girls on the first seventeen sheets will be the ones who actually show up."

For now, I take a look at the top page.

Tokai Teio

Status
Top Speed: C 431
Stamina: D 348
Acceleration: D+ 364
Mental Strength: D 319
Tactical Insight: D+ 352

Specialties
Has an intuitive sense for racing.
Possesses extraordinary flexibility in her legs.
Skilled at securing a good position and conserving her legs.
Never misses the timing to break out of the pack.
Her acceleration technique in the final stretch is top class.

Overall Assessment
At present, she is not an opponent to be feared.
If Hoshino Wilm can perform at full strength, she will certainly win.
However, her growth potential is extremely high. Worth close observation.

…Uh, um, so… like this?

Wait—does a trainer’s “eye” really see things in game-like stats like this?

Or did he derive all these precise numbers from his own intuition?

Either way, that’s incredible.

…No, seriously incredible!? Not just a double take—this deserves a double rethink!

His eye is frighteningly accurate. Which means that the data on Teio-chan here, and on all the other Uma Musume as well, must be extremely close to the truth…

If everything is being extracted into data this perfectly, predicting how the next race will unfold becomes dramatically easier.

…Could it be that this stack of papers is something other trainers would kill to get their hands on?

If he sold it, it’d probably fetch an absurd price.

N-no, I wouldn’t actually do that, okay?

It’s not like I’m thinking something ungrateful like, “Maybe this could cover three months’ worth of food expenses” or anything.

"I was told you could tell by looking at their hindquarters, but… can you really see such detailed numbers?"

"…More or less."

"Just by looking at their legs, you can tell their mental strength and tactical insight as well…?"

"………Yeah. Something like that."

I-I see…

"So this is the power of a trainer…!"

"Oh, that explanation works for you?"

"Of course. I trust my trainer completely!"

"O-oh…"

What are you talking about? We’ve been together for over a year.

We’re basically like family at this point. Of course I trust him.

I lower my gaze back to the data in my hands.

"…Compared to the others, Teio-chan really is strong, isn’t she?"

"The other Uma Musume are mostly around E to E+ in each stat. Even in terms of skills—technique—Tokai Teio stands a head above the rest."

"By the way… how do I rank?"

"You’re on the last printout."

Let’s see… ah, there it is. You’re right.

Hoshino Wilm

Status
Top Speed: C+ 583
Stamina: A 877
Acceleration: C 413
Mental Strength: B+ 736
Tactical Insight: D 339

Specialties
Always approaches races with full commitment.
Strong aptitude for turf, long-distance races, and front-running.
Shows an outstanding start.
Accelerates quickly right after the start.
Skilled at maintaining speed through corners and controlling her breathing.
Possesses a sharp finishing kick.
Has a high level of understanding of extreme front-running and standard front-running.

Overall Assessment
An Uma Musume who will take the Triple Crown undefeated.
Exceptionally excellent.

Whoa… my data looks way too strong…?

I knew I was pretty confident in my strength, but realizing that my trainer properly acknowledges it makes the corners of my mouth twitch upward before I can stop them.

“Exceptionally excellent,” huh. Hehe… that makes me happy.

…Wait, huh? No way. I was confident in my stamina, sure, but isn’t my mental strength way too high?

"Um… do I really look that thick-skinned to you?"

"Hm? …Ah, mental strength. No, that’s not what it means.

It’s more like defense, with stamina as the base… how long you can hold on once your stamina starts to run out, your grit, the strength of will you show when competing head-to-head with other Uma Musume.

…Now that I think about it, maybe I should’ve just left the label as ‘Guts.’ I changed it thinking it’d be clearer, but that might’ve been a mistake."

I see—so it’s guts.

…Do I really have that much grit?

I don’t really feel it myself.

And then there’s the other thing that caught my attention…

"I’m very happy to be rated so highly, but… compared to the others, my tactical insight is low, isn’t it?"

"Yeah. Up to now, the races were relatively easy to read, and you were always running under my instructions, so it wasn’t an issue.

But starting with the Japan Derby, there will be more uncertain factors, and simply following my directions won’t be enough.

That’s why, from here on out, you’ll need to develop your own tactical insight. That’s exactly why I had you studying races nonstop today."

Ah, so that’s why he had me watching races since morning.

Thanks to that, I was able to objectively understand my own weaknesses and how races unfold.

I feel like my strategic awareness probably improved a lot just today.

…Still, I guess this means that from now on, it won’t be enough to rely on my trainer’s instructions to “win for sure.”

Will I be okay?

Overcoming my tendency to get overexcited was something I managed only because I had my trainer’s guidance.

If that disappears, won’t I just end up running wild again…?

"Don’t worry."

Before I realize it, a hand is resting on my lowered head.

It’s warm… but right now, it feels just a little unreliable.

"You’ll be fine. …The way you are now, you won’t lose control in such a dangerous way."

"Do you really think so?"

That chill.

I can still remember the chill I felt when Nature-chan was closing in on me.

What if she catches up? What if I lose a race I absolutely can’t afford to lose?

That fear turned into a paralyzing terror, and my mind narrowed to a single thought: “I can’t let her catch me.”

I forgot about the race’s flow, the remaining distance—everything—and just bolted at full speed. That sensation…

…Like a cold hand stretching out from behind and crushing my heart.

Can I really escape from that feeling?

"You’ve won every race up to now. Believe in that version of yourself.

…And even if you lose, I’ll still say ‘welcome back’ and pat your head.

So run the way you want to run.

And with that, you’ll be fine."

Trainer…

But does something like that really exist?

A Hoshino Wilm who loses… has no value.

Even so, would my trainer still… love me?

"If I lose, will you comfort me?"

"If anything, that’s when I’ll comfort you the most."

"If I win, will you praise me?"

"I’ll praise you to death, like a demon."

"…Then even if I don’t win, even if I don’t race at all, can I still come back here?"

That is…

As a racing Uma Musume, it might be something I should never say.

We’re here to run. We’re here to win.

Throwing that away is taboo.

An Uma Musume who gives up on victory has no future.

And a trainer would be wasted on someone like that.

So there’s no way he, as my trainer, could affirm those words.

…Why am I even asking something like this? I’m such an idiot.

"I’m sorry, forget I said anything—"

I should take it back.

What I just said could destroy the relationship between an Uma Musume and her trainer.

I need to remember properly that I’m nothing more than his assigned Uma Musume…

"Of course you can."

"…Huh?"

With his usual expressionless face, my trainer states it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"If you don’t want to race, I won’t make you race.

What I’m supposed to do is stand by your side, not force you to push yourself.

If you say you don’t want to run, I’ll cancel your entry no matter how much it disrupts our plans.

So run when you want to run. Win when you want to win.

And when you want to come back, come back. I’ll always be waiting for you."

---

…Idiot.

Idiot, idiot, seriously an idiot.

Why would you say something like that?

It just makes me want to believe you.

Even though I know it’s a misunderstanding.
Even though I know those were just words spoken as my trainer.

…It makes me want to get it wrong anyway. Idiot.

"Hoshino Wilm. …Hoshino Wilm?"

"I’m going to do some independent training."

"Huh? All of a sudden?! Hold on—today was supposed to be intelligence training—"

"Shut up. …You said you’d stay by my side and wait for me, didn’t you?"

"Ah—… ah, geez, fine. Treadmill running at the gym, max two hours!

Don’t overdo it, and if your stride starts to fall apart, take a break, okay!"

I leave the trainer’s office and slam the door shut.

My face is burning. And it’s all scrunched up—my eyes are definitely red, too.

There’s no way I can let anyone see me like this. …Especially not my trainer.

I hurry away from there—run until I’m somewhere he absolutely can’t hear me.

…Before I realize it, my thoughts spill out of my mouth.

"…Ah. If only we’d met sooner."

Then maybe I…

…Yeah, right.

Thinking about something like that doesn’t mean anything.

He was born into a prestigious family, and it was decided he’d become a trainer at the Central Tracen Academy.

I was just a poor Uma Musume—our futures only intersected on that one day last year.

"Even so…"

Our fates crossed.

That day, beneath a pitch-black sky, at the very bottom of despair.

I met my destined trainer.

"…Ah, man. This is the worst."

I swore I wouldn’t be so easy in this life, you know.

And yet, over and over, you say exactly the words I want to hear.

You pat my head… and give me affection.

How am I supposed to win against that?

"The one who falls in love first loses, right?"

Tch.

I got utterly crushed in this match, too.

I really can’t win… especially not against my trainer.